Let Us Draw Near

I love a good story. The problem is that I am fainthearted and easily discouraged, so about half way through any tale, I have to resist the urge to stop reading. Every epic adventure is full of conflict and obstacles. I don’t like the dark and foreboding strands of the plot, but I know there is a happy ending coming.

One of my favorite stories as a child was Cinderella. The first part of her story made me want to yank out my pigtails and have a good cry. That mean stepmom and her bratty daughters kept that sweet girl trapped in a prison of fear and condemnation. Thankfully, the pure heart of the girl dressed in rags was rewarded in a spectacular ending. Good triumphed over evil once again.

Why do I doubt?

In my heart, I know how the story of life ends. God is just, and victory is certain. But some days, I feel a little like Cinderella trapped in a cage of unfavorable circumstances. The enemy of my soul wants to keep me clothed in rags of doubt and shame.

The writer of Hebrews understood that God’s people would face discouragement in the face of tribulation. He challenged them to not give way to fear, to never turn back, but to persevere in faith.

We must remember that our story is part of God’s greater narrative of redemption. The hero is Christ, and He has conquered death itself to ensure a glorious conclusion.

Our story is not finished yet. The Author and Finisher of our Faith has more to say through our lives about His grace and goodness.

Rather than give way to fear, let’s garner up strength from Jesus to keep moving forward in faith. The theme of our lives should always be the pursuit of Christ. As Hebrews 10 challenges, “Let us draw near.”

When we are misjudged and maligned, let us draw near.

When we are lost and lacking purpose, let us draw near.

When we are broken and battered down, let us draw near.

When we are challenged and confused, let us draw near.

David’s life beautifully illustrates how God transforms our stories when our hearts are fully surrendered to Him. Every day, we can choose to draw near as we…

Approach God in prayer with a sincere heart: God longs for authentic worship rising up from an undivided heart. We must surrender our selfishness.

Acknowledge God’s Word is true with complete assurance: Stand firmly on the solid foundation of Truth. Our confidence must be fully placed on His promises, not our own performance.

Accept God’s cleansing covers all our guilt and shame: The blood of Christ covers sin’s stain completely. Don’t stay fettered to the past when confessing Christ has already set you free.

Allow the Holy Spirit to continue His cleansing work: We must make a daily choice to yield to the Spirit and crucify our flesh. Put on love, joy, and peace and say goodbye to envy, anger, and discord.

God has invited us to boldly come right into His throne room. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow because we have full access to Him today and always. We can “hold fast” to the hope that He is coming soon to right every wrong and flood all the dark corners of this world with His everlasting light.

In the meantime, let’s draw near to Him. Let’s crawl up into His lap and listen for His tender voice. He is the best storyteller.

Keeping the Faith,

Lyli

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Lyli Dunbar enjoys road trips with her husband, connecting with women through Bible study, and reading way too many books. She shares how everyday experiences help flesh out her faith at 3-D Lessons for Life. A disciple, wife, educator, and mentor, Lyli is just a girl working to keep the faith day by day. She serves as Social Media Manager for Missional Women and is a contributor at Start Marriage Right and Daily Devo.

“In this broken world we are all touched by shame, guilt, and difficult relationships. But God has a better way. Whether you are in need of the forgiveness and new life that Jesus extends to each of us, or you are longing for relationships that are free from blame and strife, this book is for you. Through the lens of God’s Word plus real-life stories, You Are Forgiven poignantly reminds readers that what Jesus did on the cross is the only thing that frees us from the prison of unforgiveness.

In this 8-week Love God Greatly Bible study, you’ll learn about how Jesus obtained for us the forgiveness of sins and what that means in our everyday lives. We’ll examine many of the different facets of forgiveness, including: Why do we need it? How do we get it? What is the extent of our forgiveness, and how should it change us?”

Dare to believe that you are forgiven… and then let that life-changing truth transform your life from the inside out.

I love this post Lyli! I have enjoyed this study of David so much and I am sad to see it end. But I have been honored to be a part of the launch team for You Are Forgiven, and I know that many, many women are going to be richly blessed by this study as well.

Rachelle,
So glad you were encouraged! These 8-weeks with Dabid just flew by so quickly. Right? — I am super excited about the subject of our upcoming study. Just purchased my Study Journal on Amazon last night.
Blessings,
Lyli

I finally got to meet you not in person but by writing in this LGG blog today. A woman who always post the reading and the SOAP everyday for us….Thank you for the insights of who you are below your picture, such amazing how our talents, our abilities and gifts comes from our mighty God….I enjoyed reading you inspirational story above.

I thoroughly enjoy all studies and am so looking forward to the next one, You Are Forgiven. But I don’t read physical books anymore. Is there any hopes of having this in kindle format before the study begins??

Hi, Cindy,
There is going to be a free PDF study booklet that you can download from our website and then upload to your Kindle. It won’t be “Kindle formatted,” but it will work if you want to read it there.
Blessings,
Lyli, LGG Encourager

This is a wonderful ending to a sweet journey, thank you Lyli for all you do. It’s been a blessing to read your SOAPs every morning and to end the study with your beautiful words is amazing!! Looking forward to SOAPing with you throughout the next study!!

What an awesome ending to a fabulous study! Lyli, we can all relate to your feelings. And how blessed we are to know the end of His story, for truly it is our story if we choose to love and accept Jesus Christ.
Thank you!

Thank you Lyli for this study and your messages are so uplifting.. I struggled to keep up with my group and my soaps, but I refused to let the enemy stand in my way, so even if I was late in reading and soaping, I pushed through and did this so I could give Glory to God!

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Hi and welcome to LGG! I’m so glad you’re here! Love God Greatly exists to inspire, encourage and equip women all over the world to get into God’s Word through our online community. LGG has multiple online Bible studies and resources created with YOU in mind! So grab some friends and join us or journey with us solo…..either way you are welcome here!